Toy rocket



A. GIULIANO May s, 1962 TOY ROCKET Filed Jan. 21, 1960 3,032,918. TOY ROCKET Angelo Giuliano, New York, N`.Y. l `(754 Mace Ave Bronx 67,.l'-I.Y,) Filed Jan. 21, 1960, Sel'. No. 3,965 4 Claims. (Cl. i6-1) The inventionrelates to action toys, and relates more particularly to a hand-propelled multiple-'stage to'y rocket and launching device. v

It is among the principal objects of the invention to provide a simple hand-propelled multiple-stage toy rocket having a launching means to launch it, and having the last stage of the rocket reaching', and be retained by, a simulated moon.

Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device of this type which is so constructed that it may -be easily assembled and disassembled, and is safe in use by infants.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set -forth in the claims hereof, one embodiment of the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specication.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will be best understood from the following description of one exemplication thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FlG. l is a perspective View of a rocket and launching arrangement in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated in starting position before launching;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, but showing the parts after launching;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. l.

In carrying the invention into eiect in the single embodiment which has been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description in this speciication, and referring now particularly to FIG. l, a toy rocket is shown supported in a frame 12. The rocket 14B may comprise one or two or more stages, for instance three stages as shown. The frame 12 defines on its interior a channelled path 13 in which there is positioned the rocket 10.

For the purpose of the instant exemplication, the rocket 10 is shown having three stages or sections, namely a lower section 14, a middle section 16 and an upper section 18. The three sections 14, 16 and 18 are superposed and partially nested within each other, and each is separable from the others.

Launching means 20 are provided to move all of the sections 14, 16 and 18 upwardly from their launching positions (shown in FIG. l) to their respective stop positions (shown in FIG. 2). The launching means 20 comprises a lever 22 that is pivotally supported in a pivot 24.

Guiding means, such as edge plates 26 and 28, are provided to guide the three sections 14, 16 and 18 within the channelled path 13 when each of the sections is moved from its launching position to its stop position.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower section 14, when launched, moves upwardly from its launching position to its stop position; stop means are provided near said stop position, such as the plates 29 and 30, to restrain the section 14 from moving up any further; since there is no means to retain the section 14 at the stop posi-V tion, and only its upward thrust is limited, the section 14 will subsequently fall back towards its launching position.

United States Patent O The middle section 16, upon launching, will move'from lits launching position upwardly to its stop position; stop means are provided lnear this stop position, such as plates 31 and 32, to restrain the middle section '16 :from moving up any further. Again at this stop position there is no rneans to retai'nthe section 16, and therefore the section 16 will subsequently fallback towards its launchinfgposition.

If desired, however, means may be provided to re'- tain both sections 1 4 and 16, or at least the middle section 16 at or near'the respective stop position to restrain the return to the launching position until released.

The upper or last stage or section 18, upon launching, will move 'from its launching position upwardly to its stop position (FIG. 2). At this stop position there is provided a stop means, such as a plate 33, to restrain the upper section 18 from moving up any further.

The plate 33, however, includes a retaining means such as magnetic means 34. The upper section 18 has on its upper end a magnetizable part 36. When the upper section 18 is shot upwardly, the magnetizable part 36 will make contact with the magnetic means 34, and by this contact will be restrained from moving up any further and also from descending. A moon 33a may be painted or otherwise be carried by the plate 33. Thus, the last stage 18 of the rocket 10 strikes the moon and stays there, realistically simulating the process of shooting 'a three-stage rocket to the moon, having its two lower stages fall back and its last stage land on the moon.

FIG. 3 and 4 more clearly show the superposed position of the sections 14, 16 and 18. The upper sections may, for instance, have male wedge-shaped bottoms 38 and 40 which nest in the female V-shaped tops 42 and 44 of the lower sections.

The operation of the invention is as follows: the rocket sections 14, 16 and 18 are placed within the channel 13 of the frame 12. The upper section 18 is placed in first, followed by the section 16 and then by the section 14. The assembled unit is then placed on a launching platform 46 on top of the launching means 20. The assembled unit stands vertically on its base 25. A groove 48, that is formed in the lower section 14, is placed on top of one end portion 49 of the lever 22, as shown in FIG. 1. This is the launching position of all the sections 14, 16 and 18.

The sections 14, 16 and 18 are then launched by tapping the lever 22 at an end portion 50 opposite to the end portion 49. This launching will propel the lower section 14 upwardly, and the section 14 will be guided by the edge plates 26 and 28 within the path 13 until the upper end 52 of its base 54 makes contact with the plates 29 and 30 and the section 14 will come to a halt in its upward thrust.

At this instant, the middle section 16 will, in its continued upward thrust, leave the lower section 14 and continue upwardly, while the lower section 14 will fall back downwardly towards its launching position. The middle section 16 will continue upwardly, guided by the plates 26 and 28 within the path 13, until the upper end 56 of its base 58 makes contact with the plates 31 and 32, whereby the middle section 16 will be halted in its upward ight.

At this instant, the upper section 18 will, owing to its continued upward thrust, leave the section 16 and continue upwardly, while the middle section 16 will fall back downwardly towards its launching position atop the lower section 14. The upper section or last stage 18 will continue to move upwardly, still under the original launching impulse, and will be guided by the plates 26 and 28 within the path 13, until its magnetized part 36 contacts the magnetic means 34. The magnetic means 34 will stop and retain the upper section 18 at its stop positionr Y to simulate the landing of a last stage of a rocket on the moon. Y

There is an `opening 60, as seen in FIG. 4, at the back of the frame 12 near the plate 33, so that the child can insert-his linger and releasethe last upper section 18 from its magnetic'hold. 'The `upper section'l will then fall back downwardly to its launching position atop the middle section 16. Thereafter, the complete launching of the three-stage rocket can be repeated.

1I wish it to be understood that l do' not desire-to be limited to the exact detailsl of ,constructiony shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. v

Having thus `described the invention, what I claim as new-anddesire to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows: f

1. `A` toy rocket device comprising a frame, a rocket having a series of superposed movable sections disposed invsaid frame, each section vbeing movable between a launching position and a stop position spaced apartfrom said launching position on said frame, saidframe deliningan upright path for each of said sections and surrounding the major portion of the surface of each section and being thereby operable to guide at least some of said sections between their launching and stop positions, rigid launching means operable to propel saidsections upwardly towards their stop positions, and stop means connected to the frame near the stop position of each 4section and including means protruding into the path of a section and being operable to restrain upward movement of said section beyond the stop position thereof.

2. A toy rocket device, as claimed in claim l, each of said superposed sections being separable from each other.

3. A toy rocket device, as claimed in claim 2, each section being operable to continue in its propelled movement within said path after any section below is stopped, and retaining means operable to retain the topmost section after it reaches its stop position.

4. A toy rocket device comprising a frame, a rocket having a series of superposed movable sections disposed in said frame, each section being movable between a launching position and a stop position spaced apart from said `launching position on said frame, said frame de1ining an upright path for said sections and surrounding the major portion of the surface of each section and being thereby operable to guide at least some sections between their launching and stop positions, rigid launching means operable to propel the lowermost and thereby all of said sections upwardly towards their lstop positions, and stop means connected to the frame near the stop position of each section and including a projection extending into lthe pathrof a section Aand operable to restrain upward movement of said section beyond the stop position thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,611 Goodson Dec, 8, 1891 647,327 Rehlin Apr. 10, 1900 2,571,405 Anthony Oct. 16, 1951 2,896,368 VHigley July 28, 1959 v 2,959,415 Peterson Nov. 8, 1960 

